Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Police Officers: Is It Self-Control or the Desire-To-Be-In-Control that Matters More?

ABSTRACT

While a number of studies have documented the correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrated by police officers, no study to date has examined the influence of self-control (i.e., self-regulation) and the desire-to-be-in-control on this study population. Therefore, data obtained from the Police Stress and Domestic Violence in Police Families in Baltimore, Maryland, 1997–1999 were analyzed to determine what influence, if any, these variables have on IPV. Results from logistic regression models indicated that self-control was not related to IPV, but the desire-to-be-in-control was found to be positive and significant in predicting the dependent variable. This study provided further evidence that IPV may be the result of a person’s desire to attain and maintain power and control over their partner’s behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Desire-to-be-in-control
• intimate partner violence
• police officers
• self-control